Page 7 of Unforgettable

“Shit,” I groaned, watching Reed’s eyes close and his head shaking ever so slightly. Caught red-fucking-handed, and although we were in a less compromising position than we had been in only a minute earlier, we were still pressed against each other. Whether they could only see Reed’s back or not, it didn’t help that I was hidden behind him.

Reed released his hold on my neck and I let my hands fall from where I had pressed them against his chest as he spun around to greet our lovely bride and groom.

“We were just discussing the fact that we caught our dates having sex in this very room, actually,” Reed said smoothly, and I was impressed by the ease with which he flipped from taunting me to appear nonchalant.

Luke sniggered and Hazel slapped his arm. I was still tucked behind Reed, only watching through the small space between his arm and jacket. He returned to his casual stance, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets and rolling his shoulders back.

“I didn’t realize talking with Amanda meant her lipstick smeared all over your mouth. You must have been talking awful close. Digging the red though, man,” Luke joked, and I sagged on the table behind me in pure embarrassment. So much for keeping quiet about what had happened.

“Luke, I swear, if you don’t leave them alone, you’re not getting any.”

Even through my embarrassment, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the fact that they had also found the room in search of a place for a quickie.

“Okay, fine, I’m done,” Luke conceded, not taking kindly to his soon-to-be wife’s threat. “Let’s find a room that doesn’t smell like other people’s sex.”

He sniffed the air sarcastically and I groaned. They already knew, and I was tired of being there, too, so I shoved aside my mortification and stepped out from behind Reed. Hoping I looked at least semi-decent, I strutted to the door, swinging my ass slightly for Reed’s benefit, and only glanced at Hazel for a second before I stepped between the two of them.

In that second our eyes met, Hazel told me all I needed to know: I wasn’t off the hook, and we’d be discussing it all later. She had a million questions, and I, sadly, did not have one single answer.

THREE

Amanda

“Is everyone decent?”I asked, shielding my eyes as I backed into the room. The groom’s quarters were on the opposite side of the grounds from the bride’s house, and I had walked the half mile to give Josh Luke’s gift from Hazel and retrieve Hazel’s gift from Luke. The slight chill in the January air was a much-needed reprieve from the bride’s house. With more people than should actually be able to fit into the little house flitting around to finish hair, makeup, and last-minute dress repairs, it had grown so hot I had cheerfully volunteered to do the gift exchange early.

“I come bearing gifts!” I proclaimed while stepping into the wood-paneled room and hoping that if anyone wasn’t decent that they would have spoken up. “I’m like Santa Claus except without the red suit and the reindeer likely wouldn’t come near me because I’m not usually great with animals besides dogs…”

My words trailed off as I rounded the corner to see the groom and all of his groomsmen already dressed. They were standing around drinking what I assumed was some fancy scotch and laughing. Each of them was wearing a black suit, a fitted white shirt, and a maroon bow tie.

I was impressed that they’d each trimmed their beards, or shaved completely, styled their hair, and much to my surprise, each of their matching maroon pocket squares was perfectly folded and in place.

“Shit, I’m impressed. You look…”

“Wow, we’ve rendered Amanda speechless. I didn’t think it was possible,” Reed quipped, a devilishly handsome grin creeping across his face as he made his way to me from across the room. I held my breath while simultaneously getting an eyeful of him. He hadn’t shaved completely but had trimmed the stubble along his jaw and styled his dark-brown hair similar to how he had the day before—purposefully tousled and slightly messy.

He looked like sin in his perfectly tailored suit, and I felt like I was in serious need of confession based on the thoughts running through my head. Even if I wasn’t Catholic or really religious.

He twirled the amber liquor in his tumbler as he stepped up to me with a similarly devilish look gleaming in his eye. He slid his free hand around my waist as he leaned forward and placed a friendly kiss on my cheek.

God,he smelled delicious, and he lingered, his lips against my cheek, for a second.

“You’re breathtaking,” he whispered against my skin, and I finally breathed out.

Hazel had done well with choosing our bridesmaid dresses. Thankfully, there weren’t any bows or poofy skirts in sight. She’d allowed us each to choose our own style of dress as long as it was black. Mine was a one-shoulder formfitting dress with a deep plunge in the back and something I could rewear if the occasion ever arose. And to show off the back, the hair stylist had swept my long blonde hair into a low, messy bun at the back of my head.

“Ditto,” I managed to say without giving away everything I was thinking and feeling. But I knew Reed would know like he always did.

I had managed to keep my attraction to Reed at bay, but after having slept with him the night before, my feelings no longer cared. After spending so much time concealing emotions and forcing my behavior to coincide with the nonchalance I was trying to display, I had become at least decent at hiding my inner turmoil that sparked to life every time he or Josh came close. Or every time I caught one of them staring with a look in their eyes that told me they were thinking of it.

I had done well, but it only took one night with Reed for all of that effort to go to waste. For all of it to completely fall apart.

James and Devon both complimented my dress, effectively pulling me out of Reed’s trance as well before they set off in search of some pre-ceremony food.

“You look beautiful, Amanda,” Luke said, stepping forward and also kissing my cheek. Sadly, I was still getting used to seeing Luke so outwardly happy. Between his abusive father killing his mother and his mother killing his father, along with his ex-wife, Valerie, who kidnapped his wife-to-be, he’d been through more than most people. He and Josh both had. Even before Valerie kidnapped Hazel, she’d put Luke through hell along with the rest of us.

So it was a miracle to see him relaxed and smiling.

“Okay, so here’s your gift from your gorgeous bride. And the only thing is that youhave toopen it by yourself. Make sure none of your groomsmen are lurking in the background.”

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